Cooper Mountain Nature Park

by Alan K. Lee

Introduction:

One of the benefits of living in the Pacific Northwest is its natural beauty and easy access to nature. Even the large urban centers have abundant parks, forests, and streams close by. Cooper Mountain Nature Park in Beaverton, Oregon is one of the many protected natural areas and nature parks the Portland metro area is blessed with that range in size from less than five acres to the 5200-acre Forest Park in Portland. Dozens of such natural areas dot the landscape, several of which are near my suburban neighborhood. I can leave my house on foot and be surrounded by nature in less than ten minutes.

The Park:

Cooper Mountain Nature Park is located on the southwestern edge of Beaverton. The park is jointly managed by Metro, the Portland area’s regional government, and the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District. Three and a half miles of trails take the visitor through three distinct habitats – oak woodland, open prairie, and conifer forest. The hike described here traverses most of the park’s 230 acres.

There is more to do at the park than just hiking, too. The park’s Nature House hosts a variety of classes and educational events, there are nature play areas for children, and there is a demonstration garden that features low-maintenance and wildlife-friendly plants.

One of the interesting features of the park are the three “listening trumpets” located along the trails. Created by Portland artist Christine Bourdette, the trumpets act as natural sound amplifiers that can catch birdsong and other sounds of nature from a distance. Try them out if you visit the park.

The Hike:

Where:   Cooper Mountain Nature Park, 18892 SW Kemmer Rd, Beaverton, Oregon

Distance:   2.9 miles

Type:   Loop

Elevation gain:   375 feet

Difficulty:   Easy

Map:

https://www.thprd.org/pdfs2/maps/coopermountain2022.pdf

Overview:

The trails here are hiker only – horses, dogs and other animals (except service animals), and bicycles are prohibited. Drones are also prohibited. The trails are mostly compacted gravel and are useable year round. All trail junctions have directional signage with a small trail map. Interpretive signs are located at places of interest along the trails.

Trailhead:

There are restrooms in the Nature House at the parking lot and drinking water is available. There are about 40 parking spaces with an overflow area that will accommodate another fifteen vehicles. Parking is free. The parking lot fills up early on weekends and sometimes even on weekdays in the spring and summer, so best to come early. If the parking lot is full, you may be able to park along Kemmer Road.

The hike:

The hike starts at the southeast corner of the parking lot adjacent to the playground. Stay right at the first two trail junctions. At 0.3 miles, continue straight onto Cooper Mountain Loop that takes you into an area of coniferous forest.

In another tenth of a mile turn left onto the Overlook Trail that takes you back into a more open prairie habitat with good views of Chehalem Mountain to the south. You’ll also find one of the listening trumpets along the trail. At the 0.6 mile mark the Overland Trail rejoins the Cooper Mountain Loop. Turn left and follow Cooper Mountain Loop, which takes you downslope with prairie to your left and forest to your right.

At the low point of this hike (elevation 420 feet) the trail makes a 180⁰ bend and regains some of the elevation you’ve lost, then turns right and takes you to Quarry Pond, where you might find a few waterfowl and increasingly rare northern red-legged frogs. Just beyond the pond, you’ll come to the Larkspur Loop junction at the 1.2 mile mark. Take the out and back lollipop loop and return to the junction. Turn right onto Cooper Mountain Loop again. Here the trail begins to climb back toward the trailhead.

At the next junction, turn right onto Blacktail Way, which climbs, steeply in places, for half a mile to the next junction. Here there is a short trail to the right to a viewpoint. Back at the junction, turn right onto Little Prairie Loop and follow it through the forest and back to the trailhead.

Tualatin Hills Nature Park

Other area attractions and activities:

The Beaverton area features numerous other parks and natural areas. Another of my favorite hiking spots is Tualatin Hills Nature Park, which I will feature in an upcoming post. And slightly farther out (about ten miles west of Cooper Mountain), the newly opened Chehalem Ridge Nature Park is another of the areas nature parks and another outstanding hiking area.

And after your hike, the Beaverton area has many fine places to get lunch and slake your thirst. If you just crave a good beer after your hike, try the nearby Taplandia Taphouse. Taplandia doesn’t have a food menu, but if you’re hungry, Cafe Murrayhill and White Oak Taphouse are nearby and located next to each other. They make a good pairing. And McMenamin’s Greenway Pub is also close to Cooper Mountain and offers both decent food and a good beer menu.

Conclusion:

Cooper Mountain has become one of my favorite hiking areas in the southwestern part of the Portland metro area. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.

 

Posted May 2, 2025

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Look for updates to this post later in the year with photos from this spring and summer.

 

Tryon Creek State Natural Area

by Alan K. Lee

I visit Tryon Creek State Park in southwest Portland often, as it is only a few miles from my home. I go to connect with nature and escape the noise and hustle and bustle of the city. The park is an urban oasis where it’s easy to forget that you’re in the middle of a major metropolitan area. That is a major draw and the park is a much beloved, and much used, place. But the park is big enough (658 acres) that it seldom feels overly crowded.

Bigleaf maples cover a large part of the park and, as a photographer, I appreciate the extraordinary quality of light under their canopy. The light can change dramatically from season to season, day to day, and sometimes moment to moment. I find the interplay of light and shadow always beautiful, endlessly fascinating, and often challenging to capture with the camera. It is one of the things that continues to draw me back to the park.

The park, now officially called Tryon Creek State Natural Area, is a transitional second growth forest. What is now the park was logged at least once between 1870 and 1960 to provide fuel for the iron smelter that once operated nearby and to produce ties for the railroad industry.

Today, the forest has regrown. While still not a mature old growth forest, the new forest contains many large Douglas firs, western hemlocks, western red cedars, bigleaf and vine maples, and red alders.

Nearly 300 different forest plants and flowers grow in the park. Blacktail deer, raccoons, coyotes, red foxes, beaver, and more than two dozen other mammals roam the park. More than 70 species of birds have been seen in the park. And cutthroat trout, coho and chinook salmon, and steelhead can be found in Tryon Creek.

The area was saved from development in the late 1960s and early 1970s by a combination of dedicated citizens, the Friends of Tryon Creek, Multnomah County, and the State of Oregon. Tryon Creek State Park was officially dedicated on July 1, 1975.

Many, if not most, of the park’s visitors come to hike the nearly fifteen miles of hiking and mixed use trails. Some bring their horses to ride the three and a half miles of equestrian trails. There is also a three mile paved bike path running through the park and a paved all abilities trail. The Nature Center, with a friendly staff, interpretive exhibits, a small store, and public restrooms, is a popular starting point for many visitors.

The park is jointly managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of Tryon Creek. The park’s mission has always included adult and youth environmental education programs, including day camps, a junior ranger program, school field trips, guided tours of the park, and special events. It is not uncommon to encounter large groups of children, and sometimes adults, in the park.

Many of the events and programs sponsored by the park were cancelled or available only online during the majority of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Nature Center was closed and entrance to the park was limited at times. While we’re still living with Covid, most, if not all, of the park’s programs have been restored, and the Nature Center is open again.

The main parking area and the Nature Center are located at 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd in Portland. The park is currently open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm. (closing times vary with the season). For more information, check the park’s website or call 1-800-551-6949.

And finally, this reminder from the Friends of Tryon Creek:

“It is important to ground ourselves and acknowledge the people whose land we are utilizing; the Clackamas Chinook, the Wasco-Wishram, the Willamette Tumwater, the Multnomah, and other Chinookan peoples, as well as the Tualatin Kalapuya, the Cayuse, the Molalla and other tribes and bands of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. It is important to acknowledge the original inhabitants of the land now known as Tryon Creek State Natural Area, and to recognize that we are here because of the sacrifices that were forced upon them. We also remember that we are guests of this land and must do our best to honor the original peoples, through authentic cultural narratives and continued stewardship of the water, the land, and plants that make up this forest community.”

Originally posted July 29, 2020. Updated and re-posted May 25, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

 

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

by Alan K. Lee

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in southeast Portland, Oregon is an internationally recognized garden containing many rare rhododendrons, azaleas, and related species. It’s a beautiful and (sometimes) quiet island of serenity in the midst of the city, and it’s one of my favorite places in Portland..

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is spectacularly beautiful in the spring blooming season, but its attractions are not limited to that season, and not just to rhododendrons and azaleas. The garden is beautiful the year round. And it’s nearly surrounded by Crystal Springs Lake, making it a haven for waterfowl and other birds. More than 90 species of birds can be found in the garden, including Bald Eagles, which can often be seen flying over the lake in search of fish or unwary waterfowl.

The garden covers 9.5 acres, divided into two areas, called The Island and The Peninsula. Originally owned by William S. Ladd (1826-1893), twice Mayor of Portland in the 1850s, and called Crystal Springs Farm, the City of Portland acquired the the Island portion of the Garden in the 1920s.

In the first half of the 20th Century, The Island was the site of Shakespearean plays produced by Reed College, which adjoins the garden. But by 1950 the site was largely abandoned and overgrown. In that year the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society established a display and test garden on The Island. The area now known as The Peninsula was donated to the garden in 1977 by Portland landscape architect Wallace K. Huntington. Volunteers from the Friends of Crystal Springs (the Portland Chapter of The American Rhododendron Society) and the Master Gardeners program now maintain the Garden.

The garden is open daily year round. Spring and summer hours are 10:00-5:30, except Wednesdays, when it opens at 1:00. Adult admission is $9.00, $8.00 for seniors, $6.00 for youth (6-18), and free for children under six.

In the past, the Friends of Crystal Springs have hosted rhododendron shows and plant sales at the garden. Check the garden website for current information and event schedules. The garden also hosts weddings and other private events, so a potion of the garden may be closed to the public on spring and summer weekends.

The garden is located at  5801 SE 28th Avenue. The small parking lot fills up early in spring and summer, and there is no on street parking on 28th or other nearby streets, so come early if you’re coming by car (and do not park in the Reed College lot across the street from the garden). Or take the bus (Tri-Met bus #19 Woodstock).

The garden is often crowded, especially on the spring and summer weekends. Visiting during the week will avoid the worst of the crowds. But even during peak visitation the garden is well worth visiting. The colorful foliage makes fall a good time to visit, also. And on a winter morning you might have the Garden all to yourself.

Whether you are a garden lover, birder, photographer, artist, or just looking for a beautiful place to spend some time in, Crystal Springs is a place you’ll love. For my money, only the Portland Japanese Garden tops Crystal Springs among Portland area gardens.

Originally posted July 16, 2019. Most recently updated April 10, 2025.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Lan Su Chinese Garden

by Alan K. Lee

The Lan Su Chinese Garden, an urban oasis in the middle of downtown Portland, Oregon, is regarded as one of the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China itself. It is also one of the most beautiful places in the city, and one of my favorite places in the city.

The garden came about through Portland’s sister city relationship with Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province, China. Suzhuo is noted for its Ming Dynasty gardens, and Lan Su Garden was created by artisans from Suzhou following a 2000 year old tradition that  melds art, architecture, and nature into a harmonious and serene whole.

Entering the garden, you come first to the Courtyard of Tranquility. The courtyard (and the whole garden, for that matter) is designed to be a peaceful and soothing place to escape the problems of everyday life, and it succeeds in that remarkably well. It’s surprisingly quiet, and once inside it’s easy to forget that you are in the middle of a busy city.

From the courtyard, you pass through the Hall of Brocade Clouds, traditionally the place where a family entertains guests, and then onto the Terrace. This is a great place to just sit and take in the view. Most of the garden can be seen from the Terrace. The various pavilions and the Tea House (the “Tower of Cosmic Reflections”) are beautifully reflected in the central pond known as Lake Zither.

From the Terrace, wander at will through the Painted Boat In Misty Rain pavilion, past the Rock Mountain and Waterfall, across the boardwalk to the Moon Locking Pavilion, Scholar’s Study and Scholar’s Courtyard, and the Knowing the Fish Pavilion. Take some time to visit the Tower of Cosmic Reflections teahouse where you can enjoy a cup of tea and learn a little about the Chinese social art and culture of tea.

Throughout the garden you will see Lake Tai Rocks. These large, fantastically shaped rocks were imported from China – 600 tons of them. The rocks were formed underwater through the erosive action of Lake Tai’s acidic waters, and are highly prized by landscape architects.

The garden exhibits more than 100 species of trees, shrubs, and plants native to China, including the Pacific Northwest’s largest collection of lotus. The plants found in the garden were not imported from China due to import restrictions, but were found in botanical gardens and nurseries in the United States and transplanted to the garden.

Part of the mission of the Lan Su Chinese Garden is to promote better understanding of Chinese art, history, tradition, and culture. Classes and demonstrations of Chinese calligraphy, brush painting, paper folding, poetry, music, horticulture, wood carving, and other arts such as kite making, are held throughout the year at the garden. And public tours of the garden led by trained docents are held several times a day.

The Lan Su Garden is small, taking up only one city block, but it is one of Portland’s premier gardens (along with the Portland Japanese Garden, the International Rose Test Garden, and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, among others). You can tour the garden in an hour, but the longer you linger, and the more times you visit, the more you come to appreciate the beauty, tranquility, and harmony of the garden, and understand the philosophy and outlook on life that led to its creation.

Lan Su Chinese Garden is open from 10:00 to 4:00 daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $12.95 for adults, $11.95 for seniors (62+), and $9.95 for children 6-18 and college students. Children five and under are free. There are currently no Covid-19 restrictions. You can find more information about the garden at the Lan Su website.

Posted March 12, 2020. Updated April 8, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

International Rose Test Garden

by Alan K. Lee

Portland, Oregon is known as the Rose City, and has long had a love affair with roses. The Portland Rose Society has been in existence for more than 130 years. Portland’s premier festival is the annual Rose Festival, held in June every year since 1907. And one of the city’s best, if not the best, botanical gardens is the International Rose Test Garden.

The International Rose Test Garden was conceived in 1915 as a  safe haven during World War I for hybrid roses grown in Europe, and rose hybridists in England began sending roses to Portland in 1918. Over the years, other hybridists have sent roses to Portland from all over the world.

The primary purpose of the Garden is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. The Garden is home to a variety of formal rose evaluation programs in designated test beds. Rose companies send potential variety introductions for evaluation. How each variety performs determines if it makes it onto the
commercial market.

Today, the International Rose Test Garden covers 6.9 acres in Portland’s West Hills, has more than 600 varieties of roses, and has more than 10,000 individual rose bushes. By any measure, that’s a lot of roses, and that draws a lot of people to the garden, not just from the Portland area, but from around the country and other parts of the world.

The Rose Garden is located in Washington Park, west of Portland’s downtown. Admission is free. To get there from downtown, take Burnside Street west, turn left onto Tichner Drive, then right onto Kingston Avenue. The Rose Garden will be on your left, behind the public tennis courts. Parking is limited, though, and will be hard to find on a summer weekend. Come on a weekday, if possible, and come early in the day to have the best chance to find a spot. Or consider parking in the downtown area and taking the Washington Park free shuttle.

If you want a souvenir of your visit, or information on growing roses, check out the  Rose Garden Store, located just south of the garden itself. Proceeds from the store go to support the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.

Washington Park has enough attractions in addition to the Rose Garden that you can easily make a day of it. Directly west of the Rose Garden is the Portland Japanese Garden, one of the finest Japanese gardens outside of Japan itself. It’s also home to the Oregon Zoo, the World Forestry Center, the Portland Children’s Museum, the Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Hoyt Arboretum. And for hikers there are a variety of trails, including the Wildwood Trail which runs for more than 20 miles through Washington Park and Forest Park, the largest forested city park in the country.

The International Rose Test Garden is one of Portland’s top attractions for obvious reasons, and a place all visitors to Portland should see before they leave.

Posted March 16, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee